Signal for caging devices for gyros



Oct. 24, 1944. B. G. 'CARLSON SIGNAL FOR CAGING DEVICES FOR GYROS Filed March 15, 19 43 ATroe/vmc Patented Oct. 24, 1944 SIGNAL FOR CA GING DEVICES FOR GYROS BertG. Carlson, Erleside, Ohio, assignor to Jack & Heintz, Ohio Ina, Bedl'ord, Ohio, a corporation of Application March 15, 1943, Serial No. 479,205

1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to gyro caging devices and has for one of its primary objects to provide a simple and efficient signalling device operable by the caging knob for indicating whether the gyro is caged oruncaged.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth in the following specification and appended claim, certain embodiments thereof being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a viewin front elevation, partly broken away, of the face of the dial of a directional gyro box when the gyro is caged.

Figure 2 is a vigw in vertical section, partly broken away, taken through the directional gyro box and the caging and signalling devices therefor.

Figure 3 is a view in top plan of the caging and signalling devices.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section taken through the signalling device and a portion of the caging device.

Figure 5 is a view in front elevation of a portion of the dial and showing the signalling device indicating uncaged.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the device chosen for illustration of the invention is a directional gyro, the front cover of the box of which is shown at I having upper and lower masked portions 2 and 3 and an opening 4 through which the gyro card 5 is at all times zontal gimbal ring bearing 8, a rotor 9 and a rotor air directing nozzle ill. The caging mechanism for the gyro includes a push and pull caging knob ii whose shaft I2 is frictionally slidably mounted in bearing I3 and this shaft terminates inwardly in a cylindrical card synchronizer i l having a conical recess IS in its inner face. The front plate i has a casting with two arms i6 and which serve as a pivotal support for a yoke by means of two pins i8 and i9. This yoke has two arms 20 and 2! provided with pins 22 and 23. The yoke is also provided with a pin 22 which extends into the conical recess i5 in the card synchronizer It.

The pushing in of the caging knob effects a caging of the gyro and a pulling out of this knob uncages the gyro. Reference to Figure 4 shows pin 24 to be riding loosely in the conical opening IS with the caging knob ii pulled fully outwardly. A pushing in the knob pushes member conventional caging mechanism the yoke in the position of Figure 2 cages the gyro and when in the position of Figure 4 uncages the gyro.

As a means for signalling caged and uncaged positions of the gyro there is provided a. clip 25 having vertically elongated slots 26 and 21 to receive rivets 28 and 29 in the front cover plate I to render the clip vertically slidable. This clip includes a horizontal forked portion 30 with a V-shaped recess 3| that rests on the casting l3 when the caging plunger is pushed in to cage the gyro, as viewed in Figure 2. The mask 3 is provided with a small slit, or opening, 32. Of practically the same dimensions as the slit there is arranged on the front face of the'clip a signal 33 in the form of the word Caged. In addition this signal may be painted red to attract attention in the daylight and the letters be made luminous to attract attention in the darkness. Figure 1 shows the clip in its lower position with its signal 33 registering with the slit 32 when the caging knob l I is pushed in and pin 24 is engaged by and positioned in cone i5 as shown in Figure 2. When, however, the caging knob ii is pulled outwardly to uncage the gyro the card wardly on the two prongs of clip portion 30,

forcing the clip 25 upwardly until the signal 33 rises out of the slit 32 and out of sight behind the mask 3. In the absence of a "Caged signal the operatoris advised that the gyro is uncaged. Any convenient spring or other means may be employed to normally urge the clip 25 downwardly in addition to gravity.

"The signalling device is positive and efficient in operation and is directly operated by the caging mechanism. It is simple in construction and assembly in that it only entails the provision of the sliding clip 25, 30 and the slit 32 to provide a window in the mask 3 for the signal 33.

I claim:

In a device of the character described having a gyro caging device including a frame and a knob having a shaft and an enlarged caging element mounted to be slidable inwardly for caging and outwardly for uncaging the gyro, a dial having a mask and a window therein, an indicator mounted to be slidable behind said mask and 10 position.

and said indicator having a base plate with a cut out portion the apex of which extends from said enlarged element so that the plate may rest on the frame and enlarged element while the indicator is in lowermost position and b bodily forced upwardly as the cylindrical periphery of the enlarged element engages the base plate on either side of the cut out portion therein as the caging shaft is drawn outwardly into uncaging BERT G. CARISON. 

